Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Personal Training and Coaching?
Personal Training – Personal Training sessions are on a one to one basis with Dave at a suitable location depending on what you want to achieve. This may be in the gym or out running or cycling. Personal Training sessions are based around Cardio Vascular and Strength based activities together with some running. Sessions are approximately one hour.
Coaching – The Coaching packages offered by Dave include a bespoke training plan issued on a weekly basis to achieve specific goals. Following an initial consultation with Dave, a weekly programme of training is designed specifically to you. Dave takes into considering your current commitments, life, family, work, races etc and will monitor all your sessions throughout the week on Strava or Garmin Connect and will issue for new training plan each Sunday. Coaching packages are often used for athletes training for a specific race or event, often those who wish to achieve a PB. As Dave has got better and faster with age, you name it, Dave has tried and tested it and has the knowledge and experience to know what works and what doesn’t.
Which is right for me? Personal Training or Coaching?
Personal training is for 1 to 1 personal weekly sessions, with each session being a combination of cv exercises and strength/flexibility work. Usually for people who want a regular, weekly all round exercise session, often with the aim of weight loss or general fitness.
Coaching is more for people who have a specific race target in a running event or triathlon. You would receive a weekly training plan in collaboration with Dave and regular contact by email, text and phone. It is also possible to combine the 2. Some clients train side by side with Dave on running/cycling and swimming sessions.
What are the benefits of coaching?
Being 100% self motivated is quite difficult. A good coach will build a relationship, monitor sessions, provide encouragement and feedback. It will also give you the confidence that what you are doing is suitable and appropriate for your target event. It will also stop you potentially over training. A good coach will also have wide experience for the event you are planning and save you making many novice errors.
Why choose Deca PT for coaching? What makes him different to coaches?
Dave has come from being last at races , a no-hoper at school sport to Elite GB Team for Ironman and World Record level at ultra tri. That has not happened easily or due to natural talent so he understands what it takes to improve your standard. Years of consistent training have yielded results where he is still almost as fast aged 59 as he was in his thirties. In 2019 he will be hoping for a sub 3 hour marathon , a successful Deca in July and possibly Double Deca in October. It means that you will see Dave training as hard as you do . This is great motivation to see your coach doing what he preaches. He does not send generic 6 monthly plans that you could find in a book, but monitors your training almost daily and sends out an individualised plan each weekend for the following week ( except when he’s away doing a Deca , then you may get 3 weeks of plans at once !!! ). Dave was also a Comprehensive School Teacher for 20 years so has a lifetime’s experience of helping others achieve. He derives genuine pleasure from doing this . His enthusiasm and energy in advocating an active lifestyle is very motivational.
Could Deca PT help me with weight loss?
Many clients are looking for this and Dave is able to help and advise in this area. Once a week PT sessions won’t do it on their own, but a healthy daily lifestyle will. Dave coaches some clients in conjunction with weight loss groups. The client may attend Slimmer’s World or similar and come to Dave for the exercise part of the programme.
I am in my 70’s and want to get more active. Is this something Deca PT can help with?
He has trained clients aged 14-85. The accepted beliefs of what we can do at different ages are constantly changing. Dave himself is living proof of this , as next year aged 60 he will still be entering Ultra Triathlons with a view to winning outright, never mind just his age group. He has helped people after heart valve replacement operations and other serious conditions. He is currently looking into further professional development in this area.
Will Deca PT run during a race with me?
Dave has paced runners in 10k, half marathons, full marathons and ultra running events. He loves this side of his work when he is alongside a client as they achieve a lifetime goal. He has paced people at marathons for times ranging from sub 3 hours to over 5 hours. Rates to be agreed
Deca PT’s prices seem to good to be true, why is that?
Dave takes great personal pleasure in seeing his clients succeed in their sporting goals and likes to make his services as accessible to as many people as he can. His personal touch and natural empathy are what mark him out from other coaches. Prices will be re-set in 2019 , especially in his number one specialist area of Ultra – Triathlon coaching, where nobody in the world can match his experience over a 35 year period.